Dell's XPS 13 is their official entry into the Ultrabook market. On the outside, it doesn't look terribly different from other Ultrabooks (hello teardrop design!), but a closer examination reveals that Dell took a very interesting approach to the materials they used in their machine. Namely, carbon fiber.

The carbon fiber shell that covers the bottom of the laptop not only cuts down on weight adds rigidity, but also keeps the base from heating up and scorching a hole in your pants when your laptop is on your lap. The screen is fortified with Gorilla Glass, and Dell gave surface around the keyboard and trackpad the XPS 13 a matte, pitch black soft touch surface that's surprisingly attractive.

Under the hood, the XPS 13 has all the familiar Ultrabook signifiers: Intel Core i5 processor, 4 GB RAM, and a $128 GB SSD. Release date is still up in the air (possibly the end of February), but expect to see this in stores for $1000 when it arrives. [Dell]